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Water Log
Log: Secondary Excavation Site B Beginning Phase 338, Anno 9000 (Anno Domini 1990) filed by Chief Attending Chemist security status nil Anno 9000 Phase 338 Today marks the first phase of Excavation Team B’s new assignment, which I will be overseeing. Equipment has arrived, and digging should be able to commence within the next few hours. Since the incident leading to the establishment of our facility here, much work has been undertaken in order to ascertain the scope of the discovery. This site, among others, was selected from many possible candidates thanks to powerful divination techniques passed down for many generations amongst the Elevated Caste, and I feel certain that this wisdom, in combination with our own seismic techniques, will prove to be a great success, and that our discoveries will be of great importance to the organisation. Best of luck everyone. Anno 9001 Phase 1 While work has been slow up until now, the new year is sure to bring with it great prosperity for our team. Perhaps we shall enjoy some of the luck that the other teams seem to already be harvesting. Further routine work reports will be filed in a secondary log. Phase 275 While the routine logbook has been filled many times over during the past nine moons, there has been so little of interest to report that I find my previously enthusiastic entries to appear as if written by someone else entirely. These logs are not for personal thoughts, but since no one is ever likely to read them, I am probably safe in saying that I sometimes catch myself wishing I had never received this assignment at all, and was still stationed at the main facility. We discovered a tunnel system today, running through the roof of the cave, which caused a minor rock slide, but no serious injuries were sustained. More's the pity, perhaps if this place became a hazard we could all be reassigned. The noises in this mine at night are beginning to play with my mind. That is, when you can tell what time of day it is. Phase 341 Although I have now been in charge of Site B for two cycles, this marks my first entry into the excavation log as the new Chief Attending Chemist. Looking through the scarce results filed for the initial year’s work, I can see why my predecessor was replaced. In a fraction of that time, I have achieved Team B’s first major breakthrough in the discovery of previously unknown Substance 63, and the research team has been assigned tasks in record time. I fully expect complete identification of the substance to be available within seven phases. Furthermore, I have conducted an investigation into the noises reported by workers in this area of the mine, in the interest of morale. On nights that I spend here, there do indeed appear to be strange, human like cries coming from somewhere deep in the rocks, but there is bound to be some explanation. Anno 9002 Phase 6 Following the discovery of Sub 63, my team has had a second triumph in the unearthing of Artefact 66b. My team and I will, of course, deal with this finding with our usual level of efficiency. Phase 7 The caste has seen fit to bring in a Xeno Team, in order to further extract the true nature of the artefact. I applaud their foresight in this decision, and would only note that if been given the chance, my chemistry team would have performed at least as well in this task. In additional notes, I have completed my analysis of the wailing and chattering sounds reported by those spending large amounts of time in this locale, and conclude that it is a symptom of dehydration. Lack of water has caused very mild hallucination which, combined with quite natural seismic activity, can sound a little like human voices. A thorough medical examination of the afflicted workers has been recommended, but in the interests of continuing work at maximum capacity, I have instead ordered increased water supplies, and implemented an obligatory three minute water break once every five hours. Phase 9 It came to my attention today that the job of mapping the overhead tunnel system in this cave is long overdue, something overlooked from way back during the first stages of the excavation, sadly before my arrival, for otherwise it would already have been completed. The officer in charge of the Xeno team is increasingly becoming an obstacle to my own team’s research. He insists on overseeing perfectly routine tasks, when, given the defection of his second in command yesterday, I would suggest his time is better spent taking control of his own responsibilities. At heart, however, I believe him to be a thoroughly devoted follower, which is why I am certain that he would leap at the chance to volunteer for the surveying of the tunnel system. I have tried warning him of the potential hazards, but he simply will not take no for an answer, and asks that I ensure those higher up understand his enthusiasm. Phase 18 In a most disheartening turn, the Chief Xeno Officer has not returned from his brave exploration of the tunnel system. Phase 24 In the days since the Chief Xeno Officer’s foolhardy trespassing into the tunnel system, which now appears to make up the domain for various aggressive local fauna, said creatures have become increasingly hostile, venturing into the excavation site on more than one occasion. This is something which I will be keeping a close eye on. Phase 50 This will be the final entry into the log for Excavation Site B - events have forced us to curtail our work. We have taken more than one casualty to the organisms living above this cave system, leaving us no choice but to carry what equipment and documentation we can, abandoning all else. Their attacks have developed a discernable pattern, and we are due another in only a few minutes, so I must hurry. It’s ironic, the noises that have been reported since the initiation of this project are still present. Except that now, they sound more like laughing